JACKSONVILLE – Hopefully the Eagles played down to the level of competition in their 31-24 win last night over the Jacksonville Jaguars, possibly the worst team in pro football.

They certainly didn’t take a step forward offensively as Michael Vick guided them to just one touchdown and three field goals in five trips into the red zone in front of 59,149 witnesses at EverBank Field.

The Eagles didn’t take a step backward defensively, but that’s a problem in that they can’t stop the run.

The Jaguars rushed for 121 of their 202 yards against the first-team Eagles defense. Jordan Todman, from UConn, rushed for 105 in barely two quarters. That included a 63-yard scoring run in which the Eagles did little more than pursue.

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The only salvation for the Eagles was the play of Nick Foles. He guided them on two touchdown drives, including a 14-play, 99-yard jaunt capped by Chris Polk’s four-yard run that, including the two-point conversion gave the Eagles the seven-point advantage with 2:12 remaining.

Foles completed 10 of 11 attempts for 112 yards and a 109.1 passer rating. At the least, the conversation this week will be about what would have happened had Foles played with the first team offense.

Chip Kelly’s frustration boiled down to one play … Bryce Brown’s fumble out of the end zone just before he reached the goal line. The third-quarter gaffe went into the books as a 23-yard run and a touchback. Brown, you know, has a history of unsatisfactory ball security.

It was another disappointment for Vick and the first-team offense who except for LeSean McCoy, played one series in the second half.

With Foles at quarterback, the Eagles drove 50 yards for a score, Brown going the final four … and holding on to the ball. Brown rushed for 92 yards on 11 carries.

With 10:37 left and the Eagles trailing, 24-22, Kelly went for two points, which is the kind of gambling he did at OU. But the Eagles had a false start, and Alex Henery came on to boot the PAT.

There were unconfirmed reports the Eagles had Bart Simpson’s likeness on one of the giant flash cards they hold up on the sidelines. It seemed apropos from a comical standpoint.

Chad Henne’s second scoring pass, an eight-yarder to Allen Reisner, preceded that hard-luck march for the Eagles gave the Jaguars a 24-16 lead with 8:50 remaining in the third quarter.

The Eagles had their moments defensively.

Linebacker Connor Barwin tipped a ball to himself that was intended for wide receiver Mike Brown at the 21-yard line of the Jaguars.

Two plays later, Vick rocketed a nine-yard scoring pass to Riley Cooper, bunched in the end zone with DeSean Jackson.

It gave the Eagles a 10-7 lead with 13:41 left in the first half. Turnover, quick strike, bang.

That’s the way Kelly’s teams got it done at Oregon.

The Jaguars knotted the game after Damaris Johnson fumbled a punt, the hit applied by former Eagles linebacker Andy Studebaker. Johnson otherwise played his heart out returning three punts for 48 yards (16.0 average) and four kickoffs for 114 yards (28.5).

Later in the second quarter Vick threw the ball into one of the darkest reaches of old EverBank Field, and into the hands of Dwayne Gratz.

The good news was Jackson’s right hip wasn’t severely compromised making the tackle. He returned for the next Eagles series.

On the play after the pick, Todman cruised 63 yards for a touchdown giving the Jags a 17-10 lead.

The Jaguars blocked the entire right side of the Eagles’ defense, including Barwin.

The Eagles got off to a strange start.

They opened their first two series’ with big plays, Avant catching a 20-yard pass and McCoy bursting outside for 15 yards.

They went three-and-out with the next set of downs.

Sandwiched between those quick excursions was a 12-play, 90-yard scoring march engineered by Henne, who started in place of the injured Blaine Gabbert.

Justin Blackmon split Patrick Chung and Bradley Fletcher in the end zone from 17 yards out to give the Jaguars a 7-0 lead.

Vick willed the Eagles to a field goal on the ensuing possession, scrambling twice for 28 yards and two first downs.

Vick completed 15 of 23 attempts for 184 yards with one touchdown and the pick. He also had seven rushes for 53 yards.

But the Eagles couldn’t help themselves from making the crucial errors and turnovers that left them with a 4-12 record last year.